Pot cultivation question to appear on Moffat County ballot — retail option not included

Craig  Moffat County commissioners will ask voters in November if they want to approve marijuana cultivation facilities within county limits. However, they opted not to address retail pot sales at this time.

Photo by Lauren Blair

Dinosaur resident Rob Essex tells Moffat County commissioners Tuesday that he supports retail marijuana and cultivation within county limits.

That means voters will not be asked to approve or deny retail marijuana stores during the November election.

The commissioners discussed the ballot language Tuesday morning with county attorney Rebecca Tyree.

“We’ve been asked to open up the cultivation" option, Moffat County Commissioner Tom Mathers said. “We’re not here for the (retail) money.”

The question of cultivating marijuana came up after Maybell resident Kris Brannan brought a petition to the commissioners signed by 756 county residents who would like to see cultivation take place in the county.

The commissioners are not certain if they will place the retail marijuana question on the ballot in November, saying that if they do, it would be a separate ballot question.

Colorado residents approved retail marijuana use and sales in November 2012, yet votes tallied from Moffat County voters showed that a small percentage did want retail sales in county limits — with 52.8 percent voting against the amendment and 47.1 percent voting in favor.

In February 2013, the commissioners issued a ban on recreational marijuana in the county.

Yet now that retail pot sales have brought in millions of tax dollars to the state and created jobs, some in Moffat County want to reap the benefits.

It’s not clear, however, if the commissioners will allow retail sales to go on the November ballot.

“Let’s wait and see what people think of this,” Moffat County Commissioner John Kinkaid said. “If this gets voted down, then the majority of the people in Moffat County don’t want it.”

The commissioners have until Sept. 5 to put the retail marijuana question — which is separate from the pot cultivation question — on the ballot.

Actually Dennis, per Colorado state regulations, they would be one pound batches, each labeled with RFID (radio frequency Identification tags) tags purchased through the state of Colorado, which are then monitored by location. This is all taken care of by the Medical Marijuana Enforcement division, a state run Agency of consisting of gun carrying former law enforcement officers, much like yourself. However, with the amount of passion you that you seem to have about this subject, I'm sure that you already knew that and simply chose to be facetious.

The grow houses are also heavily regulated - unfortunately, these "pot pastures" will be more like large Fortified warehouses, with multi-thousand dollar security and video surveillance. Outdoor growing is not allowed. And if you forcefully break into a domicile or business, it's a little more serious than trespassing, something I'm sure you're familiar with, due to your extensive and infallible knowledge of these laws.

Lastly, Cannabis does not have any sort of psychoactive effects unless heated and bound with a fat or oil - Living creatures are unable to process the THC without that additional step, so as soon as the Elk learn to lock pick the grow, steal some cannabis, and boil it into some butter, I think we can rest easy with the Stoned Elk problems. And if they manage to do that, well then, we've got bigger problems. Dawn of The Planet of The Elk.

shaun, have you googled yourself ? if you do you will find several photos of yourself, one when you were young looking, a pretty nice looking guy, just starting in the "apothecary" business. another pretty recent, oh my ! if that's what pot will do to you, we need to outlaw it forever. no offence meant, but you have really aged in just a few years, too bad what drugs do to folks. you probably need to try and get those photos off the net if you are going to try to legalize any drug. again, no offence meant, but what a difference.

and it looks like your not going to get your "vote" too bad, I think you would really be surprised at the outcome, but then your not interested in the outcome, only the income, right ?

PS - English. Learn it. I took the liberty of starting you on your path.

(W)ell, that's just about a book load of information (that) I don't need.

(S)haun, have you (G)oogled yourself(?) (I)f you do you(,) will find several photos of yourself, one when you were young looking, a pretty nice looking guy, just starting in the "apothecary" business. (A)nother pretty recent, oh my(!) (I)f that's what pot will do to you, we need to outlaw it forever. (N)o offence meant, but you have really aged in just a few years(.) (T)oo bad what drugs do to folks. (Y)ou probably need to try and get those photos off the net(,) if you are going to try to legalize any drug. (A)gain, no offence meant, but what a difference.

(A)nd it looks like (you're) not going to get your "vote" too bad, I think you would really be surprised at the outcome, but then (you're) not interested in the outcome, only the income, right(?)

trying to have an exchange of information with you is like arguing with a child who ain't getting his way. when your point isn't being made (because it isn't valid), you revert to correcting my English. is that all you really have?

you are a very young person with little to no life experience, something tells me you have never held a legitimate job, (a head shop isn't a legitimate job) you are trying to argue a point that you will never win. people with children will never agree to legalize any drug, for fear their children will mess with it.

ask the people who work on oil rigs and the like what they think of drugs, and how they feel about all the on the job injuries caused by them.

ask any hardcore drug user, they will all tell you they started with pot.

research for real what problems drugs have caused law enforcement. but you won't, all you want to do is stand in your room and hold your breath till you turn blue, I don't think your dad beat you enough when you were a child. (which wasn't very long ago) go get some life experience shaun, then come back and set yourself up in the expert business. until then you have no case, you have no life experience to use as ammo in a intelligent conversation. I am obviously wasting my time trying to make a point with a child.

You made it personal, when you mentioned my physical appearance. I made it personal by pointing out the fact that, although you're very, very old and very, very wise, you are still entirely incapable of constructing a paragraph.

yeah, its time I stopped trying to argue with a child that doesn't really know much,

I mentioned your appearance just so you might realize the damage you seem to be doing to yourself. if you don't like that, get hold of the newspaper and have them remove your photos from "public" view. I'm sure you thought it was pretty cool when they put it there, your 15 minutes of fame, huh ?

so lets end this with some advice from someone "very very old, and very very wise". while you are still smarter than your elders, join the military. do 20 years, then join your local police dept. do another 20 years, then you will have fought for the country that allows you to act like a child, you will have protected your community. then you will realize there are more important issues in life than if you can "construct a sentence" (said like a real child) go out and get some "real" life experience, pay your dues, do some good in your life instead of trying to legalize drugs. i'll bet you even voted for king Obama ! hows that working for you ?

like all people that go to bat for whats wrong with America, you will someday regret it and change your tune. or like so many of my generation, after a quadrupal bypass brought on by constant drug use, you will drop dead. what a waste of moffat county high schools time.

I lived through the 60's, I fought in viet nam, I served my community, I saw what drugs can do. but that's the difference between the truth and a lie.

I have enjoyed this exchange. Mr. Collins seems to have the same tired talking points that have existed for the last 40 years brought on by a government that seemingly presumed that a "war on drugs" would be more profitable than allowing it's citizens to make their own decisions while Mr. Hadley has countered those arguments with knowledge and fact. Times are changing. Statistics and scientific study have shown that cannabis is not a harmful drug when used moderately. I tend to take more stock in research and scientific study than one persons opinion or even several opinions. Through discussions with men and woman of Mr. Collins generation I have found that many, but not all, hold the same opinion as Mr. Collins. They have been told what to believe and will not waiver from their belief. Others seem to hold the opinion that a persons choices are their own and only when those choices negatively affect others should there be repercussions. Colorado state law has already provided for those circumstances, such as it should be in a country where people should be free and in control of their own body.
The genie is out of the bottle and putting it back would only create more problems than there are now. It is unfortunate that some people are very resistant to change, even when those changes lead to positive outcomes.